SkillsUSA 2025: MCC in ATL
More than medals: Lessons learned from SkillsUSA 2025 events
Brian Ayers
Media and Public Relations manager | July 18, 2025
For the past three years, the number of Metropolitan Community College students participating in the SkillsUSA events at the state and national level has steadily increased, along with the number of medals brought back to campus.
This year, nearly 140 high school and college students competed under the MCC banner in the statewide championships. Almost half of them received either a gold, silver or bronze medal. Nineteen of them received top honors, punching their ticket to SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta. The MCC Foundation supports MCC student participation and travel to nationals, creating a unique learning experience. In Atlanta, qualifying students compete in more than 100 timed and judged events related to their area of study against the top postsecondary and high school students in the country. The event brings together more than 6,500 students annually.
“I was thrilled to see the level of participation by our students across all of our programs and so many competing at SkillsUSA Nebraska for the first time,” said Scott Broady, MCC dean of skilled trades and technical sciences.
But, sometimes, the best part of competing isn’t the medal, but rather the experience, which begins in Grand Island at the state event each April.
Trust yourself
Unless you’ve been to a SkillsUSA competition before, you’re not likely to comprehend its size. SkillsUSA Nebraska takes over several of the buildings at Fonner Park in Grand Island — over half a million square feet of exhibition space.
“Once you get to see everybody, and what they're capable of, you realize you’ve got to step it up,” said Michael Freeman, an electrical construction wiring student competing at the college level.
Competing against thousands of peers is likely to make even the most seasoned and confident students nervous.
"I was a little frustrated with the initial start, because I couldn’t think of a character,” said Sean Lee, competing in 3-D Animation and Visualization at the college level. “But once we got started, I wasn’t nervous anymore.”
Both Freeman and Lee were recognized for their work. Freeman won a bronze medal, and Lee won a gold. At nationals, Lee and his partner, Jake Douglas, narrowly missed the podium, placing fourth out of nine teams.
At the state competition, Freeman said the event was inspiring because it showed him that he could do the work.
“Just keep going, and figure out what you’re doing wrong,” he said. “I was kind of iffy about it, but once I started, I realized I already knew how to do it.”
Find your community
Also arriving at SkillsUSA Nebraska for the first time: three students competing at the collegiate level in information technology services. Students Liam Blachard, Enzo Del Balzo and Codie Petersen were coached by Guillermo Rosas. Rosas said he was just happy to be there.
“It’s just a big win that we’re here,” he said. “We've been a unified department for over 25 years, and this is the first time info tech has participated in Skills[USA].”
Blachard and Del Balzo wanted to participate in the competition to help gauge what they know about the field and where they could improve. Both are lab technicians at MCC who are passionate about creating a community for other info tech students.
“We’re trying to build this community of students who help each other,” Del Balzo said. “Where instead of finishing up their work and walking out the door they look at their neighbor and ask if they need anything. You learn a lot more that way, and I found that out by being a lab tech. I didn’t realize the gaps in my knowledge until I had other people.”
The MCC students took home top honors at the state championship with Blanchard receiving the gold medal, Parsons receiving the silver and Del Balzo the bronze. In Atlanta, Blanchard placed second in the nation, managing the nerves first-time participants sometimes experience.
Even though he didn’t make it to nationals, Del Balzo hopes to return to the state competition next year.
“We're on the maiden voyage,” he said. “I'm trying to get my foot in the door and open it for other people. Hopefully next year we’ll be coming with more people.”
Returning to state, Mychaela Obbink was testing her knowledge of a new skill: automotive collision appraisal.
She previously competed in collision repair technology but shifted to collision appraisal after realizing that Gateway Collision Center — where she interns — was having trouble filling that position.
Gateway Collision Center is one of the College’s collision engineering partner shops, which allows students to receive hands-on experience while getting paid. Obbink is also taking advantage of the Career Forward grant, which covers tuition and allows Obbink to focus on her studies.
“I like [collision appraisal] more,” she said. “I have a greater understanding of what goes into fixing a car because of my experience in repair.”
Her experience earned her a bronze medal alongside fellow students Jeremy McBride (gold), and Tyler Kramar (silver)
Try new things
Returning to the state for a third time, Natalie Salt was prepared. At her first state competition in 2023, Salt won a gold medal and then finished in the top 10 at nationals. At state last year, a dispute regarding her score kept her out of placement.
Since then, Salt has been working on paid projects for family and friends.
“I’ve been working on my parents' house,” she said. “There’s probably not one surface in that house that I haven’t touched.”
She also completed an advanced cabinetmaking class. What started as a desire to build her own kitchen cabinets three years ago has now turned into a side hustle that she’s passionate about.
“I have a daughter. She’s 14 and in high school,” Salt said. “I’d love to show her that she can do the things that she wants to.”
This year, Salt was back on top, receiving the gold medal at state and a bronze medal at nationals.
Seeing a future
When James Strawn signed up for his first state competition, it was simply because he heard it was fun. Over the last four years, though, it’s been much more.
“I learned behind the scenes about how the industry works,” he said.
This year he received a gold medal at the state championship.
“I felt very good going into the state competition, not as much at the national competition,” he said.
Despite the nerves, Strawn’s experience guided him to a second-place finish at nationals — continuing the MCC Fire Science Technology program’s three-year streak of medaling at nationals.
Participating in SkillsUSA Nebraska for the first time, dual enrollment student Jack Kirk, from Papillion La Vista High School, said the competition helped him picture a career in electrical work.
“It’s a really energetic environment. [From competing at the conference], I realized that if I went into electrical construction for work, it wouldn’t feel like work because it’s so much fun,” said Kirk, who earned a bronze medal in the Electrical Construction Wiring event in the high school division.
SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference
Final Results
More than 6,500 participants competing in 14 skilled trades and leadership contests gathered in Atlanta for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, from June 23–27. Represented by 19 students and 14 advisors, MCC competitors brought home five medals.
For the second consecutive year, Callan Scholz earned a gold medal in the Power Equipment Technology category at the college level. This marks only the second year that a student from MCC had competed in Power Equipment Technology at both the state and national levels.
“As Callan’s instructor, watching him win the national SkillsUSA championship for the second year in a row is a moment of immense pride and validation. His dedication, technical skill, and professionalism reflect the highest standards we strive to instill in our students every day,” said Terry Kuebler, who helped launch the Powersports and Outdoor Equipment Technology program at MCC. “This national recognition affirms that our curriculum, hands-on training and commitment to student success are producing top-tier technicians ready to lead the industry.”
Students who medaled at nationals will receive a scholarship from MCC to help pay for their fall courses — gold, $3,000; silver, $2,000; and bronze, $1,500.
Congratulations to the following students for an excellent show of skill, knowledge and dedication.
3-D Visualization & Animation (college): Sean Lee and Jake Douglas
Automotive Refinishing Technology (high school): Callie Nickerson
Cabinetmaking (college): Natalie Salt, bronze
Collision Damage Appraisal (college): Jeremy McBride
Collision Damage Appraisal (high school): Kyle Ferguson, bronze
Diesel Equipment Technology (high school): Zack Carson
Digital Cinema Production (college): Kaden Andersen and Gabriel Ysusi
Fire Fighting (college): James Strawn, silver
Fire Fighting (high school): Justice DeWitt
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (high school): Dylan Strong
Information Technology Services (college): Liam Blanchard, silver
Motorcycle Service Technology (high school): Jordan Camden
Photography (college): Kaniah Alston
Plumbing (high school): Matthew Kelly
Power Equipment Technology (college): Callan Scholz, gold
Welding (college): Jay Dake
Welding Sculpture (high school): Hayden Johnson